Two Kenyan men have each been sentenced to five years in prison for the illegal possession of four elephant tusks weighing 24.9 kilograms and valued at sh2.49 million.
Moriati Ole Kimore and Lepapa Saruni received the sentence from Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts, following a successful prosecution by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
The duo was arrested on August 28, 2024, in the Ntarara area of Kajiado South Sub-County.
They were found transporting the ivory on a motorcycle and were apprehended by the Serious Crimes Unit, which was operating under a multi-agency task force made up of various national security agencies.
During the trial, Prosecutor Paula Rono presented strong evidence linking the accused to the unlawful possession and transport of ivory, resulting in their conviction.
Kenya has been ramping up efforts in recent years to crack down on the illegal trade and poaching of wildlife.
Just weeks earlier, on April 14, four individuals two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese citizen, and a Kenyan pleaded guilty to charges related to the illegal possession and trade of live queen ants.
The Belgians were arrested on April 5, 2025, at a guest house in the Lake View area of Naivasha, Nakuru County, in possession of the ants.
In a separate but related case, a Vietnamese national and a Kenyan associate were charged with possessing and attempting to trade about 400 queen ants, with an estimated market value of sh200,000.
On April 23, the ODPP urged the JKIA Law Courts to impose a harsh sentence on the four individuals three of whom are foreign nationals for attempting to smuggle 5,000 queen ants worth approximately sh1.2 million. The sentencing is scheduled for May 7.
Queen ants, highly prized by collectors and breeders, can fetch prices ranging from sh200 to sh15,000 depending on their rarity and species.
This is not the first time wildlife-related smuggling has been intercepted at JKIA.
In 2018, a Vietnamese national was arrested with eight lion canine teeth, three lion claws, and two warthog teeth.
And in 2023, three individuals were charged with attempting to illegally export safari ants worth Ksh300,000 to France.
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